Nine-Foot Crocodile Rescued from Mulund Residential Complex in Mumbai

Mumbai, 9th September 2024: A nine-foot crocodile was rescued on Sunday after wandering into a residential complex in Mulund, Mumbai.

According to a wildlife welfare representative, members of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), in collaboration with forest department officials, successfully carried out the rescue on Sunday morning.

The forest department’s control room had received an urgent call reporting the presence of a large crocodile at the Nirmal Lifestyle housing complex in Mulund.

Pawar Sharma, the founder of RAWW and honorary wildlife warden with the forest department, mentioned that the female Indian Marsh crocodile was rescued at 6:30 am. Following an examination by RAWW veterinarians Dr Priti Sathe and Dr Kirti Sathe, the crocodile was found healthy and later returned to its natural environment.

In July, a crocodile was also sighted in Mumbai’s Mithi River, leading to concern among locals. However, officials clarified that the river is a natural habitat for crocodiles, and residents were advised to respect the animals and avoid the area. The same month, heavy rains led to another surprising sighting when a large crocodile was seen walking on a main road in Chiplun.

Flooding from monsoon rains has resulted in frequent crocodile sightings near rivers in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

In Vadodara, 24 crocodiles were rescued within two days after extreme rainfall caused the Vishwamitra River to flood, displacing the animals and driving them into nearby residential areas. Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries to humans in these incidents.